Her Last Year of Peace
by Jooooooolz
Summary: Dorcas Meadowes is in her last year at Hogwarts. She's best friends with Lily Evans, studying for her NEWTS and in a casual relationship with Sirius Black but the war is raging and she is among those asked to join the Order of the Phoenix.
1. Chapter 1

Dorcas Meadowes trudged through the portrait hole looking thoroughly exhausted accompanied by James Potter and Sirius Black. The three of them collapsed onto the coaches in front of the fire tossing their broomsticks onto the floor. In front of them Lilly Evans and Remus Lupin both had their noses buried in books.

"Hey, Moony . . . Lily", said James finally as neither of them acknowledged the arrival of three of their friends. Remus started at the sound of James' voice and smiled a tired smile. Lilly on the other hand gave no sign she had heard him. James didn't seem to have expected anything more and merely sighed.

"Sorry Prongs mate, didn't see you lot come in", Remus said tossing his book onto the table and yawning.

"Where's Peter?" enquired Sirius though he did not look particularly interested.

"Kitchens. Get us some food." Remus replied. Sirius brightened slightly at the mention of food.

Dorcas did not seem to be following the conversation, she was watching Lily and she suddenly picked up her broom and poked Lily with it.

"_James_!" Lily cried in outrage before looking up to see it had not been James who had poked her at all.

"What's your problem then Lilly", Dorcas asked conversationally.

"Nothing, I'm just reading!" Lilly snapped hiding once again behind her book.

James picked up a copy of _The Evening Prophet _glanced at the front page which carried the headline proclaiming the deaths of some twelve ministry officials at the hands of Death Eaters, shook his head then screwed up the front page and tossed it at Lilly's head.

"_Dorcas!"_ shrieked Lilly looking up to see James, Sirius and Remus roaring with laughter. With that Lilly got up and stalked off to the girls dormitories without another word to any of them.

"What's her problem?" yawned Sirius, directing his question at Dorcas.

"No idea, haven't seen her since Charms this afternoon", she replied and looked enquiringly at Remus who threw up his arms.

"Don't look at me! I don't know. Ask James it's probably his fault!" Remus cried.

"I kissed her", James said simply as he got up and strode off to the boys dormitory.

"Excellent!" yelled Sirius and Dorcas appreciatively knuckle banging each other and following their respective best friends up to their dormitories. They would of course need the details.

This left Remus to finish his book, he had to read it by next week and the full moon was three days away.

"They still not back yet?' asked Peter Pettigrew who had just come through the portrait hole clutching several pastries and holding out one to Remus who took it, taking a bite.

"Nah, all got back then they all went up to the dormitories. Something about James kissing Lilly", Remus replied offhandedly. Peter dropped his pasty.

"Wha – he. . . really?" Peter managed to choke out. Remus laughed and nodded, then seeing Peter's astounded expression shook his head disbelievingly and said "You honestly didn't see something like this coming?" Peter shook his head , "well, trust me it's been coming on for a while".

"Oh".

Remus laughed "Ah Wormy mate if you were any more unobservant you'd be blind and deaf".


	2. Chapter 2

Dorcas rolled out of bed noticing as she did so that Lily had already left leaving her bed nicely made. This meant it was quite late in the morning. She dressed in a dirty robe which she performed a bad cleaning charm. She strode lazily down the spiral staircase into the common room where she almost collided with Peter and Sirius who apparently had been waiting for her.

"Surely you two have more important things to be doing than waiting around at the bottom of the girls dormitories" Dorcas said as she walked across the common room and climbed through the portrait hole followed by Peter and Sirius.

"And what exactly dearest Dorcas do you suppose we do with our time usually" Sirius asked innocently.

"Causing havoc I assume. It is the general pastime of marauders unless I'm mistaken" she replied conversationally as they continued walking to the great hall.

"Ah. But only two marauders are available today" Sirius stated.

"And why would that be."

"Remus is working in the library. He might have to go home for a couple of days this week. Needs to keep up with work and such."

"Honestly Sirius, I know about Remus. I know about his . . .condition."

This last comment stopped Sirius and Peter dead.

"How'd you know about Remus?" Peter demanded, speaking for the first time.

"You call him Moony, he disappears every month at the full moon and he told Lily and she's a terrible liar. So I guessed and she pretty much confirmed it" Dorcas said rolling her eyes and continuing to walk. Sirius turned suddenly and pushed Dorcas into the wall, pinning her arms down.

"Look Meadowes, breathe a word to anyone and I will personally see to it that you regret it. Remus is a good guy, he doesn't deserve any trouble" Sirius growled.

"I had no intention of telling anyone" Dorcas said coolly. Sirius gave her one last threatening look and released her.

"Anyway" Peter said after a few minutes, apparently trying to break the cold silence Sirius and Dorcas were now keeping "the reason we were waiting around for you Dorcas was we wondered if you knew were James and Lily are."

"How should I know?" Dorcas said adding casually "off snogging in a broom cupboard probably."

"What Peter meant is, is Lily intending to date James, is she with him now?" Sirius said giving Peter an exasperated look.

"What do you think?"

"Dunno. All James told me was he bumped into her after class yesterday and he kissed her and she ran off" Sirius said.

"Heard the same story mate. Though I did get a rather interesting description of how great kissing James is but I don't think you really need all the gory details", Dorcas smirked.

"Yeah, spare us", Peter chortled as Sirius pretended to vomit onto a suit of armour.

"Don't know why you look so disgusted Sirius, I've heard enough girls say snogging you is pretty great", Dorcas said casually as they arrived in the great hall where lunch was just beginning.

"And would you agree, Dorcas?" Sirius said blocking her path into the great hall.

"Hm. Maybe. On some of your better days" murmured Dorcas as they leaned in and their lips touched. They broke apart pretty quickly. Both were hungry and both had people to talk to. Namely Lily and James who's soon-to-be-relationship was more important that their own casual one.

Walking into the great hall they spotted Peter and Remus sitting smirking at Lily and James across the table who were conspicuously holding hands.

Sirius gave Dorcas a final wink and sat down beside Peter and immediately joined their conversation on god knows what. Dorcas stifled a yawn; she'd stayed up late talking to Lily about James whatever she'd told Sirius she knew exactly where Lily had been this morning and she knew exactly what was happening with Lily and James. God it'd been a long time coming too.

She sat down heavily next to Lily and since Lily seemed distracted by James – who looked simply radiant with joy, she started a conversation with Mary Macdonald across the table. Mary was a good friend of Lily and Dorcas though perhaps better friends with Lily. Though she was best friends with Alice Walters she had been spending a lot more time with Lily and Dorcas since Alice started dating that Longbottom idiot.

"Are Lily and James finally dating then?" Mary asked after a few minutes of idle chat.

"I assume so, bout bloody time too", Dorcas replied biting into a potato.

"God wouldn't like to see old Snape when he finds out", laughed Mary.

"Oh yeah, never thought of that. Lily probably hasn't either come to think of it. I think he needs to find out", Dorcas said a smile creeping onto her face.

"Oh no, Dorcas don't be horrible to Snape, you know what Lily's like about him", Mary pleaded dropping her food and leaning across the table.

"Mary Mary Mary. You of all people should know that Snape and his friends aren't exactly the nicest of people."

"Doesn't mean you have to stoop to their level. You know Snape will not take kindly to James and Lily dating and you know it'll only end in a fight between Snape and James and Sirius. And you know that'll just upset Lily", snapped Mary who got up at once and stalked off.

Dorcas took no notice of her. She could be such a pain. Getting on Snape's nerves was a laugh and his fights with James and Sirius were always a laugh. Mary may have forgotten Snape and Lily's falling out. He was her best friend and he hurt her so. It was only fair that he got hurt in return. Plus she did love a good duel.

Making up her mind she yelled down the table "Sirius, hey SIRIUS".

Flicking his long hair out of his face and looking at her suggestively he replied "Yeah, babe?"

"Save it mate. Wanna laugh?"

"Hm. Continue."

"Come here then."

Sighing in complaint he got up and walked round the table and straddled the bench next to her. "Alright what have you got for me, if it's another lame joke about a hag walking into a bar I swear I'll hex you into next week."

"Oh it's not a joke, though I do have another really good one. No, I was only thinking what's our good friend Snivellus gonna think about James and Lily".

Almost immediately Dorcas saw her own wicked grin mirrored in the face of the boy in front of her.


End file.
